Samsung YEPP YP-MT6X (512MB)

Electronic gadgets don't have to be expensive to be good, and we can prove it. We scoured CNET.com to find the best MP3 players that can be had for less than a C-note. All the devices that made this top 10 list offer at least 512MB of storage and two or more of the following characteristics: good sound quality; a stylish, compact design; advanced features such as an FM radio or recording capabilities; and an impressive battery life. Of course, the best part is that none of them will break the bank. Find the right player for you with this list.

The bottom line: If you're a Windows user, the Samsung YEPP YP-MT6 is a superior choice to the Apple iPod Shuffle, thanks to its compact design, its good sound quality, and its many useful features and functions.

Samsung YP-U2 (512MB)

2. Samsung YP-U2 (512MB)

The good: The affordable Samsung YP-U2 is a supercompact MP3 player with a convenient plug-in USB design; it includes an FM tuner, a voice recorder, subscription compatibility, a legible LCD, and an intuitive interface. Plus, it features an extensive set of equalizer and DSP sound settings. Sound quality is quite impressive, but there is a caveat.

The bad: We're not thrilled with the placement of the headphone jack, the so-so battery life, the subpar voice-recording quality, and the audible clicks when starting or stopping a song. Additionally, the Samsung YP-U2 does not ship with a lanyard or an armband, and it currently maxes out at 512MB.

The bottom line: Despite some minor issues, the simple but feature-friendly YP-U2 from Samsung will be a hot seller, thanks to a sweet price and great overall sound quality. It's a good choice for budget-minded users looking for their first MP3 player.

Creative Zen Nano Plus (512MB)

6. Creative Zen Nano Plus (512MB)

The good: Plenty of cool color options; ultracompact design; comes with a belt clip, a case, and an armband; impressive, but not great, sound and recording quality; supports DRM-protected songs; includes FM, voice, and line-in recording features.

The bad: Small LCD; no true playlist support.

The bottom line: If you're looking for a feature-packed flash player but you don't want to spend a ton to get one, Creative's Zen Nano Plus is the device for you.

MobiBlu DAH-1500i (512MB)

8. MobiBlu DAH-1500i (512MB)

The good: The cute and stylish MobiBlu DAH-1500i features a user-friendly, ultra-tiny design; a bright OLED screen; and useful extras such as FM tuning and recording, voice recording, and SRS Wow sound effects. This MP3 player also works as a removable flash drive and is DRM compatible.

The bad: The MobiBlu DAH-1500i uses a nonstandard USB cable and has poor battery life.

The bottom line: If you love all things tiny, consider picking up MobiBlu's cute cube, the DAH-1500i.

MobiBlu B153 (512MB)

10. MobiBlu B153 (512MB)

The good: The MobiBlu B153 offers unbeatable battery life as well as nifty features such as an FM radio, line-in recording, and SRS Wow sound effects. Podcast Ready software comes loaded on the device, allowing for automatic updating of subscribed podcasts from any Internet-connected computer.

The bad: The MobiBlu B153's design is blah, and navigation is strictly via folder trees, so there's no sorting by artist, album, genre, and so on. Also, the screen is small in relation to the device.

The bottom line: MobiBlu's B153 isn't the most stylish MP3 player on the block, but if you're looking for an ultra-long-lasting device with plenty of features, it may be just the ticket.

Photos: Top 10 MP3 players under $100

Gadgets don't have to be expensive to be good, and we can prove it. We scoured CNET.com to find the best MP3 players that can be had for less than a C-note.

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MobiBlu B153 (512MB)

10. MobiBlu B153 (512MB)

The good: The MobiBlu B153 offers unbeatable battery life as well as nifty features such as an FM radio, line-in recording, and SRS Wow sound effects. Podcast Ready software comes loaded on the device, allowing for automatic updating of subscribed podcasts from any Internet-connected computer.

The bad: The MobiBlu B153's design is blah, and navigation is strictly via folder trees, so there's no sorting by artist, album, genre, and so on. Also, the screen is small in relation to the device.

The bottom line: MobiBlu's B153 isn't the most stylish MP3 player on the block, but if you're looking for an ultra-long-lasting device with plenty of features, it may be just the ticket.